The present disclosure relates to electrical equipment racks, and more specifically, to safety mechanisms for electrical equipment racks.
Most datacenters are based around standard racking systems, each rack containing a number of individually removable electrical equipment units, particularly data handling units, for example data storage units or server computer units. In one common configuration, a standard rack comprises a large skeletal metal frame defining a rectangular faced box comprising a horizontal rectangular base with an upright mounting member extending from each corner, and with a top completing the structure. The rack is designed for the horizontal insertion of a number of data handling units, for example server computer units, or servers, typically each server being of a standard size. Standard server-rack configurations are measured in server units, each server unit or 1 U comprising a horizontal space measuring 19 inches (480 mm) wide by 1.75 inches (44 mm) high. A typical full size rack accommodates a 42 U high collection of standard sized servers, for example up to 21 2 U servers, and typically measure 73.5 inches (1.87 m) high internally. Other sizes include 36 U and 47 U racks.
Typically each server is mounted on an extendable horizontal mounting rail arrangement at either side of the rack. Each mounting rail comprises a horizontal fixed element which clips in to the front and back vertical members on one side of the rack, using one or more of provided spaced mounting holes in each vertical member. Each mounting rail further comprises a horizontal server support member extendable on roller bearings out of the front of the rack. When the server support members of two complementary mounting rails on either side of the rack are extended out of the front of the rack, a horizontally aligned server may be attached to each side server support member by way of, for example, complementary protruding and recessed fastening means. Once securely attached to each side server support member, the server may be pushed fully in to the rack by way of the roller bearings in the mounting rails. Once in its operational position, service cabling may be attached to the mounted server.
Typically server racks are designed to be moveable by means of casters arranged adjacent each corner of the rack base. It is clearly desirable to be able to secure the server rack once it is in a desired location. To facilitate this, a support leg is also provided adjacent each corner. The support legs are retractable into the rack volume and are raised to a retracted position when the rack is moved on its casters, but are lowered once the rack is in a desired location so that the rack is supported on the legs and the casters are raised above the floor or otherwise immobilized by a locking mechanism.